Just Chad
by Descypha08
Summary: This is for everyone who knows better than to think that Chad is just a dumb and shallow character with no brain. This is just a short 3 Chapter thing to set the stage for more coming work, but if you guys like it I'll continue. Its Chadcentrc w Chaylor.
1. Chapter 1

Hi, my name's Chad Danforth. You probably know me better as Troy Bolton's best friend, or maybe the second best player on the East High basketball team. Or you might recognize me as the guy who is always loud and saying stupid stuff, or getting in trouble in class and making bad grades. I'm either second best, or a court jester for entertainment. Neither is a good way to be seen….. at least not in my book. But see, those things can't even begin explain who I really am.

My shrink, yeah I have a shrink, says that I overcompensate for not being recognized on the court by acting out in regular social settings, and to be honest….. she's completely right. It's tough not getting the shine I deserve, or even getting people to pay attention to me when Troy's around. I mean… don't get me wrong, he's my best friend and I love him like a brother, but he just always seems to be better than me at everything that matters. In actuality I'm really smart…. I know, hard to believe, but it is true. I get some of the best grades at East High, almost as good as or better than Gabi's and Taylor's. The only reason I act the way I do is because when I'm acting stupid at least they all listen and pay attention to me. At least when they laugh and I'm laughing right there with them I feel like I'm not lost in the abyss that is Troy Bolton and his popularity. I know it's selfish but it hurts being shoved into the shadows all the time, and this way, I can stand out, if only just a little bit, for a little while. The only people that knew my secret were my family and my teachers. But boy……. was all that about to change.

**No POV**

Chad groaned as his alarm clock woke him up to the sounds of his favorite radio show. He hit the snooze button rather violently, so much so that it fell off his night stand and made a big clunking noise echo through his room.

"Chad?" his mom yelled from downstairs, "Did you fall out of bed again?" she asked incredulously.

Chad sighed, "No mom, I'm fine. _Besides the fact the stupid alarm clock woke me up at an ungodly hour…… again. I swear someone keeps resetting it after I go to bed. He muttered_

"Well in that case, you better get ready boy. I told you what would happen if I got another call from that school about you being late!" she yelled up the stairs.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." he replied.

He slowly got out of bed and slowly padded in front of his full-length mirror Took his hair out its ponytail and shook it out until it regained its form and shape. He then went to the bathroom and brushed his teeth commencing his normal routine when getting ready for school. After he took a shower he got dressed in his favorite shirt that read "Caution! Do not read this shirt!" and put on a pair of jeans with his black and yellow Nike dunks. He ran down the stairs and grabbed a piece of toast only to be stopped by his mother at the door.

"Chad, aren't you forgetting something?" She asked expectantly.

"Oh yeah," Chad said grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge, "I needed something to drink, thanks mom!" he said pretending to leave, and then coming back to kiss his mom on the cheek.

"I was just kidding, I'll see you when I get home mom."

"Actually you won't." she said to a surprised Chad.

"Why not-?"

"I told you last week that I had to go over to a meeting in California for the agency. Don't play like I didn't tell you either." she said. Chad's mom was a sports agent for the NBA.

"But mom, who's gonna pick up Jazz from school, and feed her and stuff?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question young man, so I won't even waste my breath. And don't think I was playing about you being late to school again. I don't care how big you get, I can still bust a cap in your tail, you hear? Now get, Go on. Off to school you go." She reprimanded.

"Yes ma'am." Chad said leaving as fast as he could. Seeing his mother mad was not a pretty sight even for the toughest of people.

"And I better not hear from Jasmine that you been doing anything wrong while I'm gone. You better do right by your sister while I'm in California! I love you!" his mom yelled from the door.

"Yes ma'am, I love you too momma!" he yelled back as he started his car and pulled out of the driveway.


	2. Chapter 2

**At school.**

1st period never went by quickly for Chad. He always felt like a Peanuts character listening to the droning sounds that came out of Ms. Darbus's mouth. He looked around to see all his friends bored out of their minds as well. So, being the good friend that he was, Chad decided to brighten everyone's day. Don't get it wrong, Chad loved to joke around and mess with his teachers and classmates. He just wasn't as dumb as a box of rocks like most of them thought, well, not his teachers, but all his friends and peers. Chad knew now was the time to strike if he was gonna get anybody to laugh, they all weren't completely under Darbus's snooze spell yet.

Chad raised his hand, "Ms. Darbus?" he asked receiving smirks from some of his fellow classmates who knew well the "class clown" reputation Chad held for so many years.

"What Mr. Danforth, do you have something to share with the class this morning?" She asked almost surprised.

"Yeah, something like that. Um, I just wanted to ask you." said Chad thinking.

"_I think I'll go with the blatantly random act today; with an undertone of inappropriate sexual innuendo." He thought. _

"Do you like taco meat?" he asked in the most serious face he could muster.

The whole class burst out into laughter, as Ms. Darbus sat up straight looking flustered in her seat. Troy had his head on his desk to hide the tears coming down his cheeks. Jason and Zeke both gave him pats on the back while they were laughing together. Taylor looked at Chad with mock disapproval, but shortly after started laughing too, and Gabriella joined her simultaneously, as did most of his peers. Chad smiled at his accomplishment and decided that he had completed a job well done.

"Mr. Danforth, I don't **know** what you mean by that particular question, but no, I do not like **taco** meat, it seems to upset my stomach." she said her voice shaking slightly.

The class went into another round of laughter to Ms. Darbus's reply, and at this point Chad joined in on the laugh fest that he had created. (As the scene fades Ms. Darbus can be heard yelling and trying to stop her students from laughing at her.)

**In Math Class…**

"Well, class as promised I have graded your tests over weekend and I'm going to give them all back today" Mr. Simon said, "A joy for some," he commented looking at Taylor who smiled back brightly, "and dismay for other." this time looking at Jason looking nervous, squirming in his seat. Chad was secretly excited because he almost knew for sure that he aced the test, but he couldn't let anyone else know that.

"Mr. Bolton, not bad," Mr. Simon said giving him his test.

"Thanks Mr. S, I try, I try." He said as the class giggled.

"Chad." He said as he slid Chad's paper on his desk.

Chad took a peek at it to see that he had in fact received a perfect score. He smiled to himself, before quickly turning it over and sliding it into his notebook quickly.

"What'd you get dude?" Troy asked.

Chad just put his head down pretending to be a little sad and shook his head to signify he didn't want to say.

"That bad?" Troy questioned, as Chad simply nodded. "That's tough man, but you'll get it next time I know you will." He said reassuringly.

"I know Troy, thanks." Chad said making use of his best acting skills.

"_I hope I was convincing enough." He thought._

The last bell of the day rang and the class rushed out of the room to head home. Chad ran out of class forgetting his Math notebook under his desk. Taylor Mckessie saw this and picked it up. Telling Gabriella she'd call her later gave her time to stay back and examine

Chad's disregarded notebook. Out of curiosity she decided to open it and take a look at what was inside.

"_It's not gonna hurt anybody. I'll give it back to Chad tomorrow in homeroom." She thought._

However, Taylor was taken aback at what she saw. Chad had got a 100 on the test.

"_This can't be right. __**I **__didn't even get a 100."_

But there was more. As Taylor started flipping through the papers in the notebook she noticed that none of Chad's grades were below 85. She decided she was going to get to the bottom of this mystery right away. She'd first assumed that Chad must be cheating until the revelation came that he sat next to one of the dumbest people in class, who happened to be Ryan Evans. But, if Chad was so smart, why was he hiding it from everyone else? Why would he be ashamed of his intelligence? Taylor intended to find out.

"_I think I'll make a little visit to the Danforth residence this afternoon."_


	3. Chapter 3

Chad was in his room holding his book bag upside down and shaking its contents all over the floor. Something was very wrong. He couldn't seem to find his Math notebook. He had just had it that day in class when Mr. Simon passed out their last test, then it clicked in his head.

"Duh!" Chad exclaimed, "I just left it under my desk again."

Chad had done this plenty of times before, so he wasn't worried about it. Even smart people can be forgetful sometimes. He decided he would just get to school a little early tomorrow so he could grab his notebook and do his math homework in homeroom. The class would just have to do without a Darbus taunting session for that day.

"CHAD!!!" his sister Jasmine screamed bringing him out of his thoughts.

"What?!?!" he whined back, "Jazz I thought I told you I was busy. You're a big girl now, dinner isn't for another hour!"

"I'm not hungry you butt head, somebody's here to see you. And it's a giiiiirl" she said teasingly.

"A girl?" he said more to himself trying to think what girl would come visit his house without as much as a call to let him know.

"CHAD!" she screamed again.

"Alright!!! I'm coming, keep your stockings on little girl. Damn!" he said bounding down the stairs only to see Taylor Mckessie standing in his open doorway staring him down intently.

"Uh, hi Taylor?" he said unsurely.

"Hi Chad……… are you gonna invite me inside, or do I have to stand on your porch all afternoon?" she asked sarcastically.

"When'd you get this one Chaddy?' Jasmine asked. "I like her already." She said smiling at Taylor.

"She's not my girlfriend Jazz." He muttered menacingly as he opened the door wider and ushered Taylor inside his house.

"Oh, well I'll just leave you two alone." she said with a mock sweetness. "Chad I'm going outside to ride my bike. Bye."

"Alright, be careful!" he yelled after her. "If you get in another fight you better whoop the other girl's ass. I don't wanna see you come back in this house with anymore bruises on you!"

"OK!!" she screamed back.

Taylor chuckled and looked at Chad with a genuine smile on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"You just seem like a really good big brother is all." she replied, "It's cute."

"Yeah, yeah" he said playfully, "So what brings you to the Danforth residence? Have a seat." He said, showing her into the living room.

"Right, back to business." she said as she sat down.

"I may have come across something that I needed to talk to you about young man" she said in a pristine tone.

"And what perchance might that be?" he asked mocking her.

"_I hope I didn't speak too well" he thought._

"This," she said as she pulled out his Math notebook, "I found it under you desk after Math today." She said answering his pending question.

"Oh, ok. So you found my notebook, thanks for bringing it to me, but why do you need to talk to me about it?" Chad asked hoping she hadn't looked inside.

"Well, I know I shouldn't have but I opened it," she rushed, "and Chad, the grades in this notebook are amazing, you're so much smarter than you make yourself out to be. Why would you even try to insinuate that you aren't intelligent with grades like these? You should be proud of yourself. What on earth are you doing pretending to be dumb you idiot?" she reprimanded, breathing hard after letting everything on her mind out in the open.

"_Mental note: Remind me never to get on Taylor's bad side, EVER." Chad thought._

"Well?" Taylor asked expectantly looking up at Chad from his sofa,

"Well, I've never told anyone this so you have to promise me that you won't say anything. Especially not to Gabi because she'll tell Troy." he warned. "Okay?"

"Alright. Now what's up?" she asked.

"I sorta pretend that I'm not smart and act a fool in class so people will pay attention to me and what I say." He said uncomfortably with his eyes squinted in pain.

"Chad! Why? You must know that it doesn't get you the respect or recognition that you deserve for your achievements." She replied.

"I know, ok. But you don't know what it's like." He said truthfully for the first time in his life.

"Chad, what are you saying-"

"No." Chad cut her off. "You listen and I'll talk. I gotta get this off my chest, and it's now or never."

Taylor simply nodded to indicate she was all ears.

"It's hard being best friends with Troy Bolton. It's not easy to be second best t everything you do and ever will do" he said. "Oh, there goes the man, Troy, with his best friend and sidekick Chad." He paused. "Chad, who almost scores as many points as him, or almost has as many assists, or almost got as many rebounds; Chad, who could've been team captain if only one more person had voted for him. Chad, who all the cheerleaders think is the second cutest player on the team next to Troy; Chad, who we'll acknowledge and the totally ignore when the beloved Troy comes around. Chad, who's jokes are almost as funny as Troy's; Chad, who's eyes are almost as pretty, who is almost as rich, who is almost as cool, who is almost as anything you want to name about Troy. Chad, who we don't even really care about at all; if he wasn't best friends with Troy, we probably wouldn't even remember his name. Just good ol' Chad, the guy we love to kick to the curb for the god of East High, the magnificent Troy Bolton. Who Chad happened to teach how to play basketball in the first place, but nobody even knows about that." Chad finished softly and sadly, uncried tears almost shining in his eyes.

"Wow" Taylor said after a pause had occurred. "I never knew you felt that way Chad."

"No one did, or will. Except for you and me, okay?" he asked.

"Chad, I'm not trying to force you, but I think the only way you can make this better is if you talk to Troy and let him know how you feel." She said. "Until you do that, you won't ever feel any better about yourself. I know it's hard to believe right now, but there are some of us who don't compare you to Troy, and never will, me included. And now that I see that you have a true gift in your intelligence there's even more of a reason to separate you from Troy. Not many can be smart and get good grades while being a class clown and maintaining a sense of humor. You may not see it, b-but you are special Chad. If not to anyone else, then you are to **me**." Taylor gushed, an invisible blushed creeping up her cheeks. "Um, I have to go." She said hastily making her move to leave.

"Taylor, wait." Chad said grabbing her arm and spinning her back around towards him.

The two just looked into each others' eyes for a short period of time. Then Chad slowly leaned in and gave Taylor a slow sweet kiss joining his lips with hers.

"Thanks." He whispered to her. "I really needed that."

"No problem." She whispered back shyly.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go out this Saturday." He said. "I really wanna go see that new movie Superbad."

"Of course" she replied, "I look forward to it. See you at school tomorrow." Taylor said, leaving out of Chad's front door closing it behind her.

"_I don't think I'll be feeling like second best very much anymore" Chad thought to himself. "I'll be okay being me………just Chad."_


End file.
